


Matchy Matchy

by Sinistretoile



Series: Hallowe'en [19]
Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Winter Soldier (Comics)
Genre: 31 Days Of Halloween, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Halloween Costumes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-11 12:27:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16475564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinistretoile/pseuds/Sinistretoile
Summary: Bucky has shown up at the annual Stark/Avengers Halloween party in a costume that matches hers, every.single.year. But not this time. Not this year. There's NO WAY he could match her this year.





	Matchy Matchy

**Author's Note:**

> Day 7 of 31. Prompt: Costume party: mortal enemies accidentally showing up in matching costumes every fucking year.

She looked at herself in the mirror. There was no way, absolutely no fucking way, that Barnes was going to come in this costume. She smoothed her hands down her sides and over hips. She decided on Carmen San Diego this year. Tony had themed the party as our favorite literary turned TV/movie character.  
She adjusted the hat on her head and smiled. “No way will Barnes be Carmen San Diego.” She laughed. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Bucky. OK, that’s a lie. She didn’t like him. She thought he was arrogant and rude. And it didn’t help matters than her grandfather had been on his long list of victims. She tried to tell herself that it wasn’t his fault. But he’d still done it.  
She frowned. Maybe she should just skip the party this year. A knock roused her from her thoughts. “Yo, cupcake! Let’s go before Thor drinks the entire bar.” Sam opened the door without her saying he could. He wolf whistled at her, prompting her to turn in a circle, grinning broadly.  
“You like?”  
“I love it.”  
“And there’s no fucking way that Barnes is gonna match.” Sam’s grin faltered, causing her to straighten up. “What? What is it?” She crossed the room. “No way Bucky is Carmen fucking San Diego.”  
“No…not exactly.”  
“Then what?” Her eyes widened in exasperation.  
“You’ll just have to see for yourself.”

No. No, he was not doing this again this year. The first year, it had been astronauts which could have just been a coincidence. The second year was the Princess Bride. She’d dressed as Buttercup and he’d come as Wesley. She’d glared at him and Steve all night because she knew it was the blonde’s doing. Several guests asked if they were together. Her responses became increasingly more tight and clenched.  
Last year though, she KNEW he’d been told what costume to wear. There was no way he’d think of it himself. She’d gone as Sally from A Nightmare Before Christmas. And lo and behold, Barnes came as Jack motherfucking Skellington. And to make matters painfully worse, he was a smoking hot Jack. But this year, there was no way he could match her.  
“Wait.” She put a hand on Sam’s elbow. “I need a drink first.” He chuckled and let her pause them at the bar. The bartender poured her a shot of tequila then handed her a neon green pint glass of punch that let off a faint wisp of white smoke.  
Sam watched her with a raised eyebrow as she took the shot with a lick of salt and bit the lemon that had been tucked on the rim. “You ready now?”  
“As I’ll ever be.” They made their to the group of Avengers standing near the piano. As if on some cosmic cue, the guests between her and Barnes parted and she saw his costume. “No, no fucking way.” She stalked up to him.”  
“What are you-“  
The room gasped as she threw her drink in Bucky Barnes face, catching him completely by surprise. “What the fuck! What the hell is wrong with you?!”  
“Waldo? You come as fucking Where’s Waldo?! Goddammit, Barnes, you are not doing this again.”  
“Doing what?”  
“Matching costumes with me!” She threw her hat and scarf down at his feet.  
“Matching costumes? What the hell are you talking about? Natasha suggested my costume.”  
She turned to gawk at Natasha. “You?” The redhead smirked and shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.  
Most of the crowd had lost interest in the confrontation but a few people still watched, making Bucky shift. “How does Where’s Waldo match whatever the hell you’re wearing, doll?”  
“Because there is a meme that pairs Carmen San Diego, my costume, with Waldo as a couple.”  
“Oh.” Bucky shrugged. “What’s so wrong with that?”  
She’d been unbuttoning her coat as she spoke and he responded. “Nothing. Not a goddamn thing, Barnes.” She tossed her dark red trench coat at him. Steve’s beer slipped from his fingers. Her bra and panties, as well as stockings and heels, matched the trench. Bucky swallowed, his eyes flicking down her frame.  
Fuck, she looked delicious. And double fuck, she was walking away. He wasn’t aware he was staring until Steve nudged his side. He looked at his friend then raised an eyebrow. “What? All I did was wear a costume, punk.”  
“Fix it. Or we’ll be doing team building exercises every Sunday until the new year.”  
“But Nat suggested the costume.” And Nat was conveniently gone. Bucky sighed and picked up her hat and her scarf. He followed in the direction she’d gone. Thankfully, she wasn’t too far. He took a moment to appreciate her get-up as she leaned against the railing. She had to be cold in the October night but she didn’t show it. He opened the sliding glass door.  
Glancing over her shoulder, she rolled her eyes then turned back. “Go away, Barnes.”  
“Can I at least explain?”  
She turned around and braced her elbows behind her on the rail. It pushed out her chest and distracted him momentarily. “Go for it. Then go away.”  
Bucky attempted to hand her the trench coat. “I…asked Nat what you were wearing this year.”  
She frowned, suspicious. “Why?”  
“Because I wanted to match you again.”  
“Why?”  
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Because you pay attention to me.”  
“What?”  
“I…” He sighed. “I like you.” He crossed the distance them. “And I know you like me.”  
“But-“  
“Your grandfather…I know, and I’m sorry. I can’t take back what I did and I can’t apologize enough.”  
The regret and the guilt in his light blue eyes killed the fire of her rage. “I know… I know it wasn’t you. It was them. It’s just hard.” She looked away.  
Bucky tipped her chin back. “We can get through it together…if you’ll let me.”  
“But you’re abrupt and mean.”  
“You make me nervous.” He shrugged. “It’s easier to pretend I don’t care, that I don’t like you, than to let on that I’m in love with you.” Her head snapped up. He tenderly wrapped the coat around her shoulders then the scarf around her neck. He used the ends to pull her closer.  
Her eyes widened, pupils dilating. Her lips parted as she looked up at him. “Are you going to kiss me?”  
“If you’ll let me.” She nodded, not trusting her voice. “Then yes.” He dipped his head, cupping her jaw. His thumb caressed her cheek. His eyes met hers before they closed as their lips met in a soft, surprising kiss. She sighed and he wrapped his metal arm around her waist and pulled her body flush against his.  
Natasha and Steve watched them from the wall of windows at the party. “You’re diabolical, you know that?” He looked down at her.  
She smiled then moved up onto her toes, kissing the corner of his mouth. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”


End file.
